
Since its establishment five years ago, Arcvelop Investor Group has built a strong reputation built on sound foundations, as was underlined last year when the company won Property Deal of the Year at the 2023 Property Investor Awards for a development in Kent.
“The award win has been one of the highlights of the business so far,” explains Marc Turnier, Director. “It really confirms what we’ve been trying to achieve as a small development company, which is to deliver a high level of design without spending a fortune.” The development company is a team of four skilled property investors, which includes Andy Graham, Mike Clay and Paula Corell operating in three different locations across the UK.
This drive to provide developments that make a positive impact in a cost-effective manner was evident in its award-winning project, which involved the conversion of a 19th-Century rock candy factory into eight flats in Ramsgate. “The site had not been refurbished since the 1960s and was within a conservation area,” adds Mr Turnier. “We purchased the site in July for £400,000 and construction costs were just over £500,000, so it’s a million pound-plus investment. The building has a considerable amount of history, so we have ensured that the new design has retained many of its distinctive features, such as the flint and brick walls, large windows and pitched roof. Given that it has been left dilapidated for so long, it’s great that we’ve been able to breathe new life into the building.
“We managed to finish the entire project in just nine months, despite there being a number of issues to overcome, such as the fact it was quite a difficult site from an access point of view and required a significant amount of demolition work. We got it refinanced within 12 months and were able to repay all of our investors to make a very good profit on the property, with all the flats having since been rented out. It’s had a return of about 65 per cent on the cash employed, so it was a great deal to get over the line.”
The success of the development has been all the more impressive given that it was achieved in a tough marketplace. “Conditions have been testing, particularly with the high interest rates that stemmed from the Liz Truss era, so we were delighted to have created such a strong project thanks to the creative approach we adopted. To have also received award recognition has been a nice bonus.”
Founded in 2019, since its creation Arcvelop has strived to be at the forefront of commercial to residential property development, building upon the collective experience it has amassed at the business. As a qualified architect, Mr Turnier received a strong education at Foster + Partners and provided the guiding light for its ongoing progression. “We have a desire to push the boundaries of luxury property design and innovation in the industry. Each of our projects showcases our unique ability to harmonise the old and new: bringing life and luxury to every property we transform. Our commitment extends beyond just construction, as we strive to infuse every development with our signature style, balancing traditional elegance with modern innovation.”
Arcvelop’s award-winning reputation has seen it build an ever-stronger portfolio of impressive projects across the country. Averaging between ten and 20 developments a year, for their own portfolio and clients, the company’s high-end architectural design experience is enabling it to tackle a broad range of work that includes office blocks and small residential developments. At the same time, it has also developed close working links with its partners, such as NM Finance, which have proven to be a valuable ally and provided creative funding strategies for each development.
“We’ve been striving to improve the way that small scale developments can be done to make a positive impact for local communities,” says Mr Turnier. “Our model is very much ‘build to rent’ and we’ve strived to ensure that every project we undertake is of the highest quality we can provide for the price.”
Not one to rest on its laurels, Arcvelop is keen to hit the ground running in 2024 with a number of projects lined up for the next 12 months. These include the conversion of an old motorcycle unit in Norwich into ten units that is nearing completion. For the longer term, a former council building in Kent and its car park that will see the creation of 40 units, in addition to a 20-unit development in Sheffield.
“The deals we’ve been working on can take a while to come to fruition and we’re very selective about what we take on. We’re certainly not going out and buying everything that we see. We’ve developed a robust model based on maintaining strong control over the quality we deliver and the costs involved. We want to keep improving year-on-year and while the market has its problems, it’s never as bad as some people are making out. We’re therefore focused on delivering those projects we have in the pipeline to a high standard, while also keeping an eye on our longer-term opportunities in for 2025.”
Having hit upon a formula that works, it is clear that Arcvelop is on the right track to further cement its reputation and further award recognition can only be a matter of time.